8th Dharma Dhamma Conference

Overview of 8th Dharma Dhamma Conference:

• Theme: ‘Cosmology in Dharma and Dhamma’.
• Objectives: Focus on building a philosophical framework for the emerging new world order
• Key Participants: Religious, political, and thought leaders from Dharma-Dhamma traditions.
• Previous Conference: Has been hosted by the Sanchi University and the Nalanda University in Bihar.

About Dharma Dhamma Conference:

• Focus: Essential identity between Dharma-Dhamma viewpoints.
• Civilizational Connection: Exemplified by the continuity of Hindu and Buddhist civilizations.
• Objectives: 
  • Facilitate the exchange of thoughts between Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
  • Promote unity and understanding between the two ancient civilizations.
  • Dharma-Dhamma as a celebration of freedom.

YOLO Generation

About YOLO (You Only Live Once) Generation:

• YOLO Generation: Refers to a mindset or lifestyle embraced by individuals who prioritize living in the moment, often making spontaneous and bold decisions. 
• Characteristics:
  • Risk-Taking: Willingness to take risks without fear of long-term consequences.
  • Focus on Experiences: Emphasis on collecting experiences rather than material possessions.
  • Spontaneity: Preference for spontaneous actions and decisions, often driven by a desire to seize opportunities immediately.
  • Social Media Influence: Heavily influenced by social media, where the YOLO philosophy is often popularized and celebrated.
• Criticism:
• • Short-Term Focus: Encourage short-term thinking and a lack of consideration for future consequences.
  • Financial Implications: Potential for financial instability due to impulsive spending and lack of long-term planning.

OPEC+ Output Cut May Push India Towards America

About Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+):

• OPEC Plus: It refers to non-OPEC countries that export crude oil in addition to the OPEC member nations.
• Genesis of OPEC Plus: In 2016, largely in response to significant increases in U.S. shale oil output, OPEC signed an agreement with 10 other oil-producing countries to create what is now known as OPEC+.
• OPEC Countries: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.
  • Former OPEC members: Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Qatar.
• OPEC Plus Countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan. 

Needle-Free COVID-19 Vaccine

About Needle-Free COVID-19 Vaccine:

• Vaccine: The live-attenuated booster has been developed using codon de-optimization technology.
• Codon De-optimisation Technology: It involves decreasing the frequency of underrepresented codon pairs (genetic determinants for amino acids) without changing the amino acid sequences. 
• Significance: 
  • This method is an efficient virus attenuation strategy, where the degree of attenuation can be regulated as required. 
  • It is extremely safe and takes less time than the conventional way of attenuating viruses, which usually takes several years.

Northern Bald Ibis

About Northern Bald Ibis:

• Scientific name: Geronticus eremita
• Habitat: Northern bald ibises are found in semi-arid desert, steppe regions.
• Reproduction: They nest in colonies and tend to be monogamous. 
  • The female lays 2-4 eggs and both partners are actively involved in building the nest, brooding and breeding of the brood.
• Known for: Distinctive black-and-green layer of feathers, bald red head and long curved beak.
• Conservation Status: Moved from a “critically endangered” classification to “endangered”.

Five new districts for Ladakh

About  Five New Districts: 

• MHA has decided to create five new districts in the union territory: The new districts would be Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang
• Committee Formation: MHA has asked the Ladakh administration to form a committee to assess various aspects related to the formation of new districts
  • Such as headquarters, boundaries, structure, creation of posts, and any other aspect related to the formation of districts. 
• Time Period: The Union Home ministry has asked the Ladakh administration to submit its report within three months.
• After receiving the report of the committee: Ladakh will send the final proposal regarding the creation of new districts on the basis of this report to the Union Home Ministry for further action
• AIM: Creation of five new districts in Ladakh as a step towards better governance and prosperity.
  • States will now receive more focused attention, bringing services and opportunities even closer to people

Reason behind carving out the new districts:

• Large Size: Ladakh is a very large Union territory in terms of area. At present, Ladakh has two districts – Leh and Kargil. It is one of the least populated areas of India. 
• Inaccessible Areas: Being extremely difficult and inaccessible, at present the district administration was facing many difficulties in reaching the grassroots level.
• Welfare Schemes: After the formation of the new districts, all the public welfare schemes of the central government and Ladakh administration will be able to reach the people easily and more and more people will be able to take advantage of them